Photographic processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

In a photographic processing apparatus of the type having a rotary cylindrical carrier, the photographic sheets are attached to the carrier by suction cups which engage only the rear sides of the sheets to hold the sheets to the support surface of the carrier. The apparatus has a lid which provides a vaulted interior surface to which washing liquid may be directed for washing the walls of the apparatus, the washing liquid being collected in a tray and emptied therefrom into a drainage chamber simply by tilting the apparatus from a normal upright position to a forward tilted position.

United States Patent Zuber et al. 1 Feb. 4, 1975 [54] PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING 3.359380 12/1967 Huss o. 95/93 APPARATUS 3,626,835 12/1971 Buechner 4, 95/93 [76] inventors: Edward F. Zuber, R.R. No. 2, FOREIGN ATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Lyndhurst, O U pf, 1,140,457 11/1962 Germany 95/97 1710 John St., Thornhill, Ontario, both of Canada Primary Examiner-Fred L. Braun [22] FiledI Dec 3, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ridout & Maybee [21] Appl. No.: 421,332 [57] ABSTRACT In a photographic processing apparatus of the type [52] 354/316 365 9 33 having a rotary cylindrical carrier, the photographic C 1 1 Sheets are attached to the carrier Suction p {58] held of Search 354/89 which en a e onl the rear sides of the sheets to hold 4/100 297 299 307 312 316 323 325 g g y 7 35 6 the sheets to the support surface of the carrler. The apparatus has a lid which provides a vaulted interior surface to which washing liquid may be directed for [56] References Cited washing the walls of the apparatus, the washing liquid UNITED STATES PATENTS being collected in a tray and emptied therefrom into a 52.748 2/1866 Roche .1 95/100 X drainage chamber simply by tilting the apparatus from 771,358 10/1 rr 95/93 a normal upright position to a forward tilted position 1,034.46? 8/1912 Kieser 95/100 UX 3,280,716 10/1966 Gall o. 95/89 R 11 (31111111815 Drawlng e 1 1 47 l f u T I 36 h 1 ll F -5 w ------1-* a L 1L i1 :1 l L 48 ,4 Tl ,EE i fi 53 1 c I -Z a }J 3 1 =1 1 t Z 3 1 PATENTEU FEB 4l975 SHEET 2 OF 3 PATENTED SBEEI 3 OF 3 1 PHOTOG RAPH IC PROCESSING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to photographic processing apparatus and is concerned particularly with a drum-type processor of the type in which a photographic sheet to be processed is mounted on the external surface of a rotary drum and passed through a processing solution as the drum rotates.

Known apparatus of the type. in which the sheets are attached to the external surface of the drum by clips or pins. suffer certain serious disadvantages. In the first place. the method of attachment requires that the attachment means should engage the front. or sensitive. side of the sheets; this leads not only to wastage of the sheet material. but also to improper processing over a substantial area of the sheet in the vicinity of the attachment means. In the second place. the mechanical attachment means of the known apparatus can generally be used only with sheets of certain standard sizes. there being no provision for holding sheets of a nonstandard size. In the third place, the attachment of the sheets to the drum, particularly in dark room conditions, is not a simple operation but requires some manipulative skill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention these disadvantages are overcome by providing the rotary carrier or drum with a plurality of discrete attachment means distributed over the cylindrical support surface of the carrier for engagement with the rear side only of the sheet material whereby to hold the sheet material to said support surface. The attachment means, for use with photographic sheet material which is water-impermeable. may comprise a plurality of suction cups mounted on the carrier.

The invention also provides a drum-type processor which is designed so as to facilitate washing of the processed material. According to another aspect of the invention. therefore. there is provided an apparatus for processing photographic sheet material comprising a light-tight housing having longitudinally extending ver tical front and rear walls and a lid which can be opened to provide access to the interior of the housing, a traylike container for processing solution mounted in the housing. a rotary carrier providing a cylindrical support surface journalled in said housing for rotation about a horizontal, longitudinal axis, attachment means on said carrier for the attachment of sheet material to be processed to said support surface. the carrier being positioned in relation to the tray-like container so as to contact the sheet material with processing solution as the carrier rotates. the lid providing a vaulted interior surface having a longitudinal apex portion and sloping portions extending therefrom to said front and rear walls. and means for supplying washing liquid to said apex portion of the interior surface for washing the interior surface and front and rear walls. the tray-like container being positioned to receive washing liquid from said front and rear walls. Such a processor is especially suitable for the processing of prints by the total loss method.

The tray-like container may be so arranged as to define with the front wall of the housing a passage communicating with a drainage chamber within the housing. the traylike container being arcuated about a horizontal axis, and the housing being tiltable from it normal upright position to a forward tilted position for emptying the contents of the container into the drainage chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention will now be described. by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. in which:

FIG. I is a front elevational view. partly in section. of a processing apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus with the cover or lid removed;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 in FIG. 2, but with the apparatus tilted to the forward position; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, from above. ofthe housing of the apparatus with the lid and rotary carrier removed, the figure showing internal structure of the housing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The apparatus illustrated in the drawings is primarily intended for use in photographic printing by the "total loss" process, wherein the processing solution is used once only and then poured away. It will be appreciated. however, that the present embodiment is presented as an example only, and the invention is by no means limited in its scope to apparatus intended for such use.

The apparatus comprises a molded plastic cabinet or housing 10, of opaque polyvinyl chloride for example. and a molded plastic lid II also of opaque plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride. The lid II is removable from the housing to provide access to the interior of the housing, but is normally closed to form a light-tight enclosure. lnstead of being removable, the lid may alternatively be hinged to the rear top edge of the housing. The housing 10 provides a pair of end walls l2, 13, a pair of longitudinally extending, vertical front and rear walls 14, 15, a horizontal base 16 mounted on feet 17, and a wall structure I8 extending along the front wall 14 to define a forwardly projecting compartment l9, a sloping wall 20 extends downwardly from the wall structure 18 and is spaced from the base I6 at its lower edge to define an opening 21.

The lid 1] is shaped to provide a vaulted interior surface having a longitudinally extending apex portion 22, and sloping portions 23 extending between end portions 24, and merging with vertical portions 25 aligned with the front and rear walls of the housing. A pipe 26 mounted in the lid 11, having an inlet 27 for the supply of washing water under pressure extending through an end portion 24, extends longitudinally immediately beneath the apex portion 22. This pipe is formed with three rows of perforations which are positioned so as to direct the washing water onto the apex portion 22. from which the water runs down the sloping portions 23, vertical portions 25, and front and rear walls l4. 15 of the housing. A hose would normally be connected to the inlet 27 for supplying the washing water.

A suitably shaped wall member 28 of polyvinyl chloride is mounted in the lower part of the housing H) to form therein an elongated tray-like container extending between the end walls ofthe housing. The rear longitudinal edge of the wall member 28 extends along the rear wall 15. The wall member 28 extends beyond the bottom ofthe front wall 14 of the housing into the compartment 19. its front longitudinal edge being spaced from the wall structure 18 so as to define a passage 29 communicating with a drainage chamber 30. The drainage chamber 30 is bounded by the wall member 28. a vertical partition wall 3! and the sloping wall 20.

A dreem, or rotary carrier 32 for sheet material to be processed is journalled in the housing 10 for rotation about a longitudinal horizontal axis defined by journals 33, 34 mounted on the end walls l2. 13. The rotary carrier is mounted on a drive shaft 35, the ends of which are supported by the journals 33. 34. which are hemicylindrical as shown to facilitate removal and replacement of the carrier. One end of the drive shaft is coupled to a drive motor (not shown) through reduction gearing, the motor and its reduction gearing being mounted in a housing 36 mounted on the end wall 12. A spigot and socket coupling, comprising a nylon spigot 37 and a nylon socket 38. is arranged so as to permit easy removal of the rotary carrier assembly by lifting it from the housing [0. The rotary carrier 32 is constituted by a frame structure comprising a plurality of axially spaced discs 39, which are connected to the drive shaft and arranged coaxially with it. and a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced slats 40, 40a which are rigidly connected to the edges of the discs. The drive shaft is enclosed by a tubular shield 4| extending between the end discs 39 of the frame structure. The frame structure and tubular shield are preferably of acrylic plastic. The slats 40. 40a define a cylindrical support surface of the rotary carrier, to which photographic sheets to be processed may be attached. The attachment means for the sheets are constituted by a plurality of suction cups 42 mounted on the slats 40. in fact. the slats 40 are uniformly spaced. and the suction cups 42 are uniformly spaced along the slats, so that the suction cups are uniformly distributed over a major sector of the cylindrical support surface defined by the slats 40. Suction cups are not provided on the slat 40a, which defines a reference position to assist in the arranging of photographic sheets on the carrier. Areas of contact adhesive may be provided along the slat 40a for use with porous photographic sheet material. The suction cups 42 are of elastomeric material, such as silicone rubber; each cup has a suction face and stud-like portion projecting from its back face, which stud-like portion is inserted into an aper ture in the slat so as to secure the suction cup in position.

The container wall member 28 defines with the wall 31, rear housing wall 15, and base i6, a reservoir having a filling opening 43. The reservoir is partitioned by frame members 44 which support the container wall member 28. and which are provided with staggered openings 45 to allow liquid to flow between the reservoir components. The reservoir may be filled with water of a selected temperature and, by reason of its thermal capacity and low rate of heat loss through the walls ofthe housing, will retain the contents of the traylike container at the selected temperature for a considerable time. In this way, the need for complicated thermostatic controls is eliminated.

In order to use the apparatus the user first arranges the photographic sheets to be processed on the support surface of the carrier 32. The uniform distribution of the suction cups 42 enables sheets of non-standard sizes to be mounted. and an optimum arrangement of sheets can be found by taking the slat 400 as a reference or starting position. The lid H is closed to provide a light-tight interior, and from this time it is no longer necessary to maintain dark room conditions. Water at a selected temperature is admitted to the heat reservoir through the inlet 43. to raise the interior of the apparatus to the selected temperature. This temperature is measured by a thermometer 46. When the required temperature is attained, processing solution is supplied to the tray 28 via an inlet pipe 47 extending through the upper part of the wall structure 18. the pipe 47 being joined by a T-piece to a longitudinally extending. openended pipe 48 having perforations 49 arranged over the container. The container 28 is positioned in relation to the rotary carrier 32 so that as the 'carrier rotates, driven by the motor, the sheet material carried thereby is passed through the solution in the container. Up to now the housing 10 has been in its normal upright position illustrated in FIG. 3. At the end of processing, the housing is tilted about a horizontal axis defined by the front edge of the base 16. into the forward tilted posh tion illustrated in FIG. 4. The solution flows from the container 28 into the drainage chamber 30 via the passage 29, and hence via the opening 21 into a sink. The housing is next returned to its upright position, and washing water is supplied to the pipe 26, the water being directed onto the apex portion of the interior surface of the lid, from which it flows down the sloping surfaces 23, and the housing walls, to be collected by the tray-like container 28. Additionally, washing water is supplied to the container via the pipes 47 and 48. A baffle plate 50 is mounted on the front wall 14 to pre' vent washing water from becoming trapped behind the pipe 48. Again, in order to remove excess liquid from the container, one simply tilts the housing to its forward position, the liquid flowing to the drainage chamber 30 via the passage 29 and thence to a sink via the opening 21.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An apparatus for processing photographic sheet material comprising a light-tight housing, a tray-like container for processing solution mounted in the housing, a rotary carrier providing a cylindrical support sur' face journalled in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis, and a plurality of discrete attachment means distributed over said support surface for engagement with the rear side only of sheet material carried by the rotary carrier whereby to hold said material to said surface, said attachment means comprising a plurality of suction cups mounted on the carrier and uniformly distributed over a major sector of said cylindrical support surface, the carrier being positioned in relation to the tray-like container so as to contact the sheet material with the processing solution as the drum rotates.

2. An apparatus according to claim I, in which the rotary carrier is constituted by a frame structure comprising a plurality of axially spaced discs, coaxial with said horizontal axis, and a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced, slats rigidly connected to the edges of the discs and supported thereby, the suction cups being mounted on and distributed along said slats.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2. wherein the slats are uniformly spaced, and the suction cups are uniformly spaced along the slats, the suction cups being uniformly distributed over a major sector of said support surface defined by the slats.

4. An apparatus for processing photographic sheet material comprising a light-tight housing having a pair of end walls, longitudinally extending front and rear walls, a base wall structure. and a lid which can be opened to provide access to the interior of the housing, a tray-like container for processing solution mounted in the housing, a rotary carrier providing a cylindrical support surface journalled in said housing for rotation about a horizontal, longitudinal axis, attachment means on said carrier for the attachment of sheet material to be processed to said support surface, the carrier being positioned in relation to the tray-like container so as to contact the sheet material with processing solution as the carrier rotates, the lid providing a vaulted interior surface having a longitudinal apex portion and sloping portions extending therefrom to said front and rear walls, means for supplying washing liquid to said apex portion of the interior surface for washing the interior surface and front and rear walls, the tray-like container being positioned to receive washing liquid from said front and rear walls, and structural means defining a drainage chamber within the housing, the tray-like container providing a front longitudinal edge which defines a passage communicating with said drainage chamber, the housing being tiltable about an axis parallel to said longitudinal axis from a normal upright position to a forward tilted position for emptying the contents of said container into the drainage chamber through said passage, and said structural means including a rearwardly and downwardly sloping wall member defining with the base wall structure a drainage opening for draining the chamber when the housing is in the forward tilted position.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for supplying washing liquid comprises a pipe extending longitudinally immediately beneath said apex portion and means for supplying liquid under pressure to the pipe, the pipe having rows of perforations positioned to direct washing liquid onto the apex portion of said interior surface.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the tray-like container further defines one wall of a reservoir which is partitioned from the drainage chamber, the housing providing means for supplying liquid at a selected temperature to the reservoir for maintaining the contents of the container at the selected temperature. the container providing for heat exchange between said liquid and said contents.

7. An apparatus for processing photographic sheet material comprising:

a light-tight housing having a pair of end walls, longitudinal vertical front and rear walls, and a base wall structure, said housing being tiltable about a longitudinal axis from a normal upright position to a forward tilted position;

a lid for said housing, the lid providing a valuted inte- 6 rior surface having a longitudinal apex portion and sloping portions extending therefrom to said front and rear walls;

means for supplying washing liquid to the apex portion of said interior surface;

an elongated tray-like container for processing solution mounted longitudinally in said housing;

a rotary carrier providing a cylindrical support surface journalled in said housing for rotation about an axis parallel to said longitudinal horizontal axis;

a plurality of suction cups distributed over said support surface for engagement with the rear side only of sheet material carried by the rotary carrier whereby to hold said material to said support surface;

the carrier being positioned in relation to the tray like container so as to contact the sheet material with the processing solution as the carrier rotates.

the tray-like container being positioned to catch washing liquid from said front and rear walls; and

structural means defining a drainage chamber within the housing, the tray-like container providing a longitudinal front edge which defines a passage communicating with said drainage chamber. whereby to empty the contents of the container into the drainage chamber when the housing is tilted to the forward position,

said structural means including a rearwardly and downwardly sloping wall, member defining with said base wall structure a drainage opening for draining the chamber when the housing is in the forward tilted position.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the tray-like container further defines one wall of a reser' voir which is partitioned from the drainage chamber, the housing providing means for supplying liquid at a selected temperature to the reservoir for maintaining the contents of the container at the selected temperature, the container providing for heat exchange between said liquid and said contents.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the suction cups are uniformly distributed over a major sector of said cylindrical support surface.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, in which the rotary carrier is constituted by a frame structure com prising a plurality of axially spaced discs, coaxial with the rotational axis of the carrier, and a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced, slats rigidly connected to the edges of the discs and supported thereby, the suction cups being mounted on and distributed along said slats.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, in which the rotary carrier provides a pair of axially spaced end members and is mounted on a rotary drive shaft extending between said end members, and further comprises a tubular shield enclosing the drive shaft and extending between said end members of the carrier.

1! I i k 

1. An apparatus for processing photographic sheet material comprising a light-tight housing, a tray-like container for processing solution mounted in the housing, a rotary carrier providing a cylindrical support surface journalled in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis, and a plurality of discrete attachment means distributed over said support surface for engagement with the rear side only of sheet material carried by the rotary carrier whereby to hold said material to said surface, said attachment means comprising a plurality of suction cups mounted on the carrier and uniformly distributed over a major sector of said cylindrical support surface, the carrier being positioned in relation to the tray-like container so as to contact the sheet material with the processing solution as the drum rotates.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the rotary carrier is constituted by a frame structure comprising a plurality of axially spaced discs, coaxial with said horizontal axis, and a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced, slats rigidly connected to the edges of the discs and supported thereby, the suction cups being mounted on and distributed along said slats.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the slats are uniformly spaced, and the suction cups are uniformly spaced along the slats, the suction cups being uniformly distributed over a major sector of said support surface defined by the slats.
 4. An apparatus for processing photographic sheet material comprising a light-tight housing having a pair of end walls, longitudinally extending front and rear walls, a base wall structure, and a lid which can be opened to provide access to the interior of the housing, a tray-like container for processing solution mounted in the housing, a rotary carrier providing a cylindrical support surface journalled in said housing for rotation about a horizontal, longitudinal axis, attachment means on said carrier for the attachment of sheet material to be processed to said support surface, the carrier being positioned in relation to the tray-like container so as to contact the sheet material with processing solution as the carrier rotates, the lid providing a vaulted interior surface having a longitudinal apex portion and sloping portions extending therefrom to said front and rear walls, means for supplying washing liquid to said apex portion of the interior surface for washing the interior surface and fRont and rear walls, the tray-like container being positioned to receive washing liquid from said front and rear walls, and structural means defining a drainage chamber within the housing, the tray-like container providing a front longitudinal edge which defines a passage communicating with said drainage chamber, the housing being tiltable about an axis parallel to said longitudinal axis from a normal upright position to a forward tilted position for emptying the contents of said container into the drainage chamber through said passage, and said structural means including a rearwardly and downwardly sloping wall member defining with the base wall structure a drainage opening for draining the chamber when the housing is in the forward tilted position.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for supplying washing liquid comprises a pipe extending longitudinally immediately beneath said apex portion and means for supplying liquid under pressure to the pipe, the pipe having rows of perforations positioned to direct washing liquid onto the apex portion of said interior surface.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the tray-like container further defines one wall of a reservoir which is partitioned from the drainage chamber, the housing providing means for supplying liquid at a selected temperature to the reservoir for maintaining the contents of the container at the selected temperature, the container providing for heat exchange between said liquid and said contents.
 7. An apparatus for processing photographic sheet material comprising: a light-tight housing having a pair of end walls, longitudinal vertical front and rear walls, and a base wall structure, said housing being tiltable about a longitudinal axis from a normal upright position to a forward tilted position; a lid for said housing, the lid providing a valuted interior surface having a longitudinal apex portion and sloping portions extending therefrom to said front and rear walls; means for supplying washing liquid to the apex portion of said interior surface; an elongated tray-like container for processing solution mounted longitudinally in said housing; a rotary carrier providing a cylindrical support surface journalled in said housing for rotation about an axis parallel to said longitudinal horizontal axis; a plurality of suction cups distributed over said support surface for engagement with the rear side only of sheet material carried by the rotary carrier whereby to hold said material to said support surface; the carrier being positioned in relation to the tray-like container so as to contact the sheet material with the processing solution as the carrier rotates; the tray-like container being positioned to catch washing liquid from said front and rear walls; and structural means defining a drainage chamber within the housing, the tray-like container providing a longitudinal front edge which defines a passage communicating with said drainage chamber, whereby to empty the contents of the container into the drainage chamber when the housing is tilted to the forward position, said structural means including a rearwardly and downwardly sloping wall member defining with said base wall structure a drainage opening for draining the chamber when the housing is in the forward tilted position.
 8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the tray-like container further defines one wall of a reservoir which is partitioned from the drainage chamber, the housing providing means for supplying liquid at a selected temperature to the reservoir for maintaining the contents of the container at the selected temperature, the container providing for heat exchange between said liquid and said contents.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the suction cups are uniformly distributed over a major sector of said cylindrical support surface.
 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, in which the rotary carrier is constituted by a frAme structure comprising a plurality of axially spaced discs, coaxial with the rotational axis of the carrier, and a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced, slats rigidly connected to the edges of the discs and supported thereby, the suction cups being mounted on and distributed along said slats.
 11. An apparatus according to claim 10, in which the rotary carrier provides a pair of axially spaced end members and is mounted on a rotary drive shaft extending between said end members, and further comprises a tubular shield enclosing the drive shaft and extending between said end members of the carrier. 